FSU's Bjoern Werner will be key leader for Seminoles in ACC title game

Werner's leadership has helped Florida State cope with injuries all season

November 30, 2012|By Coley Harvey, Orlando Sentinel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The night Florida State lost its one-point, midseason heartbreaker at NC State, Bjoern Werner was just like the rest of his teammates — angry.

Losing, to him, felt like taking a swim in sewer water. It was vile, sickening, filthy, downright revolting. But he knew if the Seminoles were going to continue their push for a conference championship game berth, and keep at least some of their preseason goals alive, they would have to embrace the defeat.

They would have to accept that it happened and refuse to let it happen again.

"He wants everybody to do well," FSU receiver Rashad Greene said of Werner. "After every loss, he's making sure that he tells the players that one loss can't turn into another."

"Bjoern is a leader in my eyes."

The Seminoles (10-2) did not lose another ACC game. However, they lost last weekend to rival Florida during a home contest that was defined by multiple momentum changes.

During tonight's ACC Championship Game between FSU and Georgia Tech (6-6), many will be watching Werner and his two young sidekicks at defensive end. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN.

As fans across the country look on, two Seminoles freshmen will be looking up to Werner.

Late in last week's loss to Florida, the Seminoles also lost senior All-ACC defensive end and leading tackler Cornellius "Tank" Carradine to a season-ending ACL tear. The injury in the regular season finale helped bookend a year that began with senior preseason All-America defensive end Brandon Jenkins' foot injury in the season opener.

After Jenkins was injured, Werner was the lone starting veteran at the defensive end positions. Once Carradine went down, Werner turned into the venerable sage of the entire unit.

"We hate that Tank got hurt and can't play anymore and things like that, but Bjoern understands that," FSU quarterback EJ Manuel said. "He's a great leader and he'll affect his teammates around him to get them ready to play."

One of the young players coach Jimbo Fisher said Werner would show the ropes and "grab under each arm and pull them along," has been redshirt freshman Giorgio Newberry. The Fort Pierce native said Werner has already done that and more.

"He's been coaching us up," Newberry said. "He's just trying to coach us up under fire and make sure we know everything, and know our assignments."

Splitting duties with Newberry the rest of the season and likely handling the starting snaps at Carradine's old end spot this weekend, is true freshman Mario Edwards Jr. The former No. 1 overall recruit kicked his work ethic in the middle of the season and currently has the Seminoles optimistic that they won't lose much in Carradine's absence.

"Trust me, guys. I told you guys Tank would step up [after Jenkins' injury]," Werner said to reporters this week. "Somebody else will step up. We've got very good players."

Werner's teammates believe he is one of those players. So do NFL Draft experts.

"He's a big reason why we're one of the best defenses in the country," safety Lamarcus Joyner said about Werner, who ESPN Draft analyst Todd McShay said could be a high first-round pick this year. "We're highly appreciative of the physicality that Werner brought all season, and we hope he continues to do that."

Although he has no plans to announce a decision about his future until after the season, the odds Werner continues bringing the heavy lumber for the Seminoles beyond this season are low. Regardless what he decides, his teammates are glad to have gotten to know him.

"If Bjoern leaves, it's definitely going to be a missing piece," sophomore safety Karlos Williams said. "He's a very, very special person. A talented guy, a monster on the edge. You're going to miss that. Any team in the country would miss him."